Native North American Research Articles

Dietary Outcomes of a Multilevel, Multicomponent, Cluster Randomized Obesity Intervention in 6 Native American Communities in the Upper Midwest and Southwest United States

BackgroundImpacts of colonization on dietary intake have led to high rates of obesity and noncommunicable diseases among Native American adults. Multilevel, multicomponent (MLMC) interventions may improve dietary intake. ObjectivesTo assess the impact of a MLMC obesity intervention, OPREVENT2 (Obesity Prevention and Evaluation of InterVention Effectiveness in NaTive North Americans 2; clinicaltrials.gov NCT02803853), on dietary intake in Native American adults in Intervention versus Comparison communities. MethodsA cluster-randomized controlled trial was performed among participants in 6 communities randomized to Intervention (n = 3 and Comparison (n = 3). Adults aged 18 to 75 were recruited from tribal communities in the Southwest and upper Midwest United States from September 2016 to May 2017 (n = 601). This analysis included participants who completed baseline and follow-up surveys (82% retention), reported dietary intake between 500 and 7000 kcal/d, and had no missing data for outcomes of interest (n = 446). The intervention was implemented from May 2017, to November 2018. OPREVENT2 integrated individual, environmental, social, and structural factors and was implemented in food stores, worksites, schools, and community media outlets in Intervention communities. Activities included taste tests, cooking demonstrations, and stocking healthier items in food stores and were reinforced by a social m)edia campaign, posters, brochures, and booklets focused on nutrition. Individual-level dietary intake among participating Native American adults was assessed via modified Block food-frequency questionnaire at preintervention and postintervention. Multilevel mixed-effects linear regression, with clustering at the community level, was performed. ResultsBetween-group effects were significant (P < 0.05) for intake of carbohydrates (-23 g/d), total fat (-9 g/d), saturated fats (-3 g/d), and monounsaturated fats (-4 g/d), with greater decreases in Intervention communities. Between-group effect for total sugar (-12 g/d in Intervention communities) was not statistically significant. ConclusionsThis MLMC intervention was associated with significantly improved carbohydrate, total fat, and saturated fat intake among Native American adults. These changes are important for improving health within this population.

Genomic Sequence of Canadian Chenopodium berlandieri: A North American Wild Relative of Quinoa.

Chenopodium berlandieri (pitseed goosefoot) is a widespread native North American plant, which was cultivated and consumed by indigenous peoples prior to the arrival of European colonists. Chenopodium berlandieri is closely related to, and freely hybridizes with the domesticated South American food crop C. quinoa. As such it is a potential source of wild germplasm for breeding with C. quinoa, for improved quinoa production in North America. The C. berlandieri genome sequence could also be a useful source of information for improving quinoa adaptation. To this end, we first optimized barcode markers in two chloroplast genes, rbcL and matK. Together these markers can distinguish C. berlandieri from the morphologically similar Eurasian invasive C. album (lamb's quarters). Second, we performed whole genome sequencing and preliminary assembly of a C. berlandieri accession collected in Manitoba, Canada. Our assembly, while fragmented, is consistent with the expected allotetraploid structure containing diploid Chenopodium sub-genomes A and B. The genome of our accession is highly homozygous, with only one variant site per 3-4000 bases in non-repetitive sequences. This is consistent with predominant self-fertilization. As previously reported for the genome of a partly domesticated Mexican accession of C. berlandieri, our genome assembly is similar to that of C. quinoa. Somewhat unexpectedly, the genome of our accession had almost as many variant sites when compared to the Mexican C. berlandieri, as compared to C. quinoa. Despite the overall similarity of our genome sequence to that of C. quinoa, there are differences in genes known to be involved in the domestication or genetics of other food crops. In one example, our genome assembly appears to lack one functional copy of the SOS1 (salt overly sensitive 1) gene. SOS1 is involved in soil salinity tolerance, and by extension may be relevant to the adaptation of C. berlandieri to the wet climate of the Canadian region where it was collected. Our genome assembly will be a useful tool for the improved cultivation of quinoa in North America.

Non-native plants observed in North America by 18th century naturalists

ABSTRACT Writings of 18th century naturalists provide a rich description of the flora, agricultural practices, and ecological and cultural landscape during the migration of large numbers of European and African peoples to North America. We employed a mixed methods approach to: 1) compare the percentages of non-native vs. native plant species recorded by the naturalists; 2) quantify the relative frequency of non-native plant species across eastern North America; and 3) qualitatively evaluate descriptions of non-native plants. The writings from nine naturalists in the 1700s document the introduction and establishment of many non-native plants across the North America. Higher proportions of non-native plant species were reported by naturalists who spent more time in densely populated human settlements. Agricultural crops had the highest relative frequencies for non-native plants in the 18th century. Non-native plants were described as being used during daily activities by humans, undergoing cultivation, growing abundantly on the landscape, and having weedy growth characteristics. Several of the non-native plants observed in the 1700s have subsequently developed into invasive species, which threaten the conservation of native North American flora.

Comparative Evaluation of 4% Cranberry Gel And 1% Chlorhexidine Gel as an Adjunct to SRP in Gingivitis Patients.

Introduction - Cranberry, a native North American fruit, has lately come into spotlight owing to its multiple beneficial effects on periodontal health. Aim - To evaluate the anti-inflammatory and anti-plaque efficacy of 4% Cranberry gel as an adjunct to SRP in generalized moderate to severe gingivitis patients. Methodology - 30 subjects with age range of 17 to 60 years, with moderate to severe gingivitis were chosen for study, After Phase-I therapy, the subjects were randomly allocated to 2 groups: Group 1(Test)(n=15)–4% cranberry gel and Group 2(Control)(n=15)–1% chlorhexidine gel (Hexigel®). Subjects were instructed to apply the pea sized amount of gel topically on the gingival surface, two times a day after brushing and to keep it for 5 minutes during 14-day period. The clinical outcomes plaque index gingival index and modified sulcular bleeding index were recorded at baseline, 7 th day and 21st day. Using ttest, statical analysis was performed. Results – Both the group that received Cranberry gel and Hexi gel showed significant improvement in clinical parameters after 7 th and 21st days. However, on inter group comparison, there was no significant difference between two groups. Conclusion – The 4% Cranberry gel as well as 1% Hexi gel were seen to be similarly efficient in generalized moderate to severe gingivitis patients

Facing into the Blizzard: Resiliency and Mortality of Native and Domestic North American Ungulates to Extreme Weather Events

Unseasonably early blizzards in the northern Great Plains threaten large mammal populations unacclimated for variable and extreme winter conditions. This region averaged 22 blizzards per winter season during the 2010s, up from 6 during the 1960s, and is anticipated to average 32 blizzards by the 2050s. In early October 2013, the fatal Atlas Blizzard affected four livestock and captive species in 16 counties of western South Dakota. Expected one-week total death losses for the study area were estimated from national average background mortality rates: 161 cattle, 102 sheep, 9 horses, and 6 bison. However, observed death loss varied significantly (McNemar’s Test: p &lt; 0.001) from the expected during the blizzard with: 35,682 cattle; 6428 sheep; 400 horses; and 40 bison. Observed proportional mortalities varied significantly from the expected proportional mortalities in cattle (83.9% vs. 58.0%); sheep (15.1% vs. 36.7%); horse (0.9% vs. 3.2%); and bison (0.1% vs. 2.1%; chi-squared goodness-of-fit: χ23 = 16.85, p ≤ 0.001). Husbandry practices, animal behavior, and physiology may also explain some of the inequitable death losses for each species. Bison appear to be resilient to blizzards and blizzards are expected to increase due to climate change, therefore, bison may offer viability for ranchers in the face of blizzards and more variable weather.

Recreational angler reporting as a tool for tracking the distribution of invasive Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio)

AbstractThe recent invasion of Carassius gibelio (commonly known as Prussian carp or Gibel carp) in freshwater environments in central Canada threatens native North American aquatic species and ecosystems. Accurate distribution information is essential for targeting control efforts but is challenging given the resources necessary to continually sample the species' potential distribution. We investigated the extent to which reports by recreational anglers—key resource users—could be used in a citizen science program to generate species distribution information, and factors affecting the accuracy of reporting for C. gibelio. Comparing the location of angler reports to the known distribution of C. gibelio generated by professional biological sampling across the region revealed that anglers can be a powerful resource for tracking an invasive species' distribution; 88% of the C. gibelio angler reports aligned with invaded watersheds (HUC‐8 [hydrological unit code 8], the second finest watershed unit) identified by professional biological sampling. For every report of C. gibelio received in a HUC‐8 area, the probability that area was invaded increased by more than 10 times (odds ratio = 10.26, ±95% CI: 4.4–29.7). Anglers' fish identification abilities were positively related to likelihood of reporting Carassius spp. (odds ratio = 2.52, ±95% CI:1.51–4.45). Anglers that fished more frequently were also more likely to have reported C. gibelio accurately (odds ratio = 1.00, ±95% CI: 0.99–1.01), although the mechanism behind this relationship is unclear. Our results suggest programs that engage recreational anglers in reporting could provide a cost‐effective alternative or complimentary tool for traditional Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) population tracking.

Palaearctic seed beetle Bruchusaffinis (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae) new to North America, arrival, distribution, and autecology.

First North American records are presented for Bruchusaffinis Frölich, 1799 (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae), as confirmed by morphology from multiple sites in Canada: British Columbia, Ontario, and Québec. Diagnostic information is presented for B.affinis in North America. This insect is expected to reduce plant reproductive output in infested Lathyruslatifolius L., Lathyrussylvestris L., and other potential Lathyrus (Fabaceae) hosts. Impacts on broad bean (Viciafaba L.) production are expected to be small. Potential reproductive impact on native North American Lathyrus species remains unknown. The United States of America and Canada are now known to be home to 69-79 species of adventive Chrysomelidae including 16-18 Bruchinae. We have found two dead, teneral B.affinis individuals inside Lathyrus seeds imported from Europe, and we hypothesise that this species was introduced to Canada from Europe via seeds for planting sometime before 2007. At our study sites, Lathyrus flowering began in mid June followed by oviposition in late June with first adults emerging in late August, requiring about 60 days from egg to adult stage. Dinarmusbasalis (Rodani, 1877) (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae) was newly recorded as parasitoid of Bruchusaffinis in Canada, and caused about 10% mortality in B.affinis at our sites.

Pseudognaphalium (Asteraceae, Gnaphalieae) diversity in New Zealand revealed by DNA sequences with notes on the phylogenetic relationships of Hawaiian Islands plants referred to Pseudognaphalium sandwicensium

ABSTRACT Pseudognaphalium luteoalbum (L.) Hilliard & Burtt is a morphologically variable cosmopolitan species allied to a number of geographically restricted taxa with a confusing taxonomic history. The relationships and circumscription of these taxa have never been the subject of a global study. We subjected plastid genome and nuclear-ribosomal DNA sequences from New Zealand samples of P. luteoalbum and the threatened endemic P. ephemerum de Lange to phylogenetic analyses along with sequences from elsewhere in the world. Our analyses suggest that two lineages of the genus are present in New Zealand. One was collected from urban and peri-urban locations and we propose it is naturalised to New Zealand. The other was collected from peri-urban and relatively unmodified locations and we propose that it is indigenous and provide the new combination P. lanatum (G.Forst) Smissen, Breitw. & de Lange for the indigenous lineage at species rank. Pseudognaphalium ephemerum sequences were part of the lineage putatively indigenous to New Zealand but their sequences were not distinguishable from some others of this lineage in our analyses. Hawaiian Islands samples attributed to the four varieties of P. sandwicensium (Gaudich) Anderb. may all belong to different species. Sequences of two P. sandwicensium plants match those of the lineage putatively naturalised in New Zealand. Those of P. sandwicensium var. kilaueanum (O.Deg. & Sherff) W.L.Wagner are most similar to those of the putatively indigenous New Zealand lineage. Another group of Hawaiian Islands plants, including one of P. sandwicensium var. molokaiense (O.Deg. & Sherff) W.L.Wagner from west Maui, are more closely related to the Asiatic species P. affine (D.Don) Anderb. than to the other Hawaiian Islands lineages or either New Zealand lineage. The affinities of P. sandwicensium var. hawaiiense (O.Deg. & Sherff) W.L.Wagner lie with native North American Pseudognaphalium species.

Link Between Peer Victimization in College and Cortisol Secretion: Roles of Genetic Vulnerabilities and Social Support.

It is unclear whether peer victimization in college interacts with genetic vulnerabilities or social support in predicting cortisol secretion. This issue was addressed using a sample of 162 Monozygotic and 237 Dizygotic twin pairs (54% females; 86% Whites, 6% Blacks, 6% Asians, 0.3% Native North Americans). At age 19, participants provided hair for cortisol extraction and reported about victimization in college and support by the mother, father, and best friend. Biometric modeling revealed that environmental influences on cortisol secretion were reduced and genetic influences exacerbated when victimization was high. Moderate to high maternal support mitigated the association between victimization and high cortisol secretion. The findings suggest that victimization in college contributes to physical "wear-and-tear", which may be counteracted by social support.

Native Intoxicants of North America by Sean Rafferty

Reviewed by: Native Intoxicants of North America by Sean Rafferty Cameron B. Strang (bio) Keywords Intoxicants, Native Americans, Indigenous, Drugs Native Intoxicants of North America. By Sean Rafferty. (Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 2021. Pp. 294. Cloth $60.00.) Anthropologist Sean Rafferty's Native Intoxicants of North America is an overview of the plants, fungi, and animals that Indigenous people consumed to achieve altered states of consciousness. The scope of Rafferty's study is continental, reaching from Florida to Alaska, but he situates this research in a global and panhuman context. Thus, instead of zeroing in on how particular groups understood or pursued intoxication, Rafferty sees efforts to reach altered states of consciousness as a "universal human trait" (1) and asserts that "Native North Americans were no different from any other human population in terms of innate desires for intoxication" (203). While this desire to reach altered states of consciousness may be partially biological, the book argues that social behaviors, especially rituals, determine the prevalence and use of various drugs. Humans are intensely social creatures, and those individuals and groups with the most friends, lovers, trading partners, and allies have a competitive—and perhaps evolutionary—advantage over loners. So, the theory goes, intoxicants that foster connections among people tend to be more widespread and socially acceptable than those that lead to antisocial behavior. Tobacco was the most widely used intoxicant throughout North America because its mild effect encouraged social bonding and, relatedly, because the rituals and material culture associated with tobacco—most famously calumet smoking—strengthened relationships within groups, among nations, and between human beings and non-human beings. More potent drugs, especially powerful and risky hallucinogens, were more limited to ritual specialists (whom Rafferty associates with a broad shamanic tradition that may have had roots in central Asia). Drawing global significance from North American evidence, Rafferty concludes that "intoxication was an ancient and widespread practice" (16) among humans and that "it is the social value of intoxicants that has been largely responsible for their widespread use by human societies" (214). Rafferty supports these broad claims with both archaeological and documentary evidence. Archaeologists have uncovered centuries-old botanical specimens of intoxicating species as well as artifacts such as pipe bowls and other ceramics that suggest the degree to which intoxicants mattered [End Page 454] to social and spiritual rituals. Rafferty interprets petroglyphs from the Great Basin and Southwest as possible evidence of drug-inspired artwork, and while he is rightly cautious in drawing conclusions from these elusive drawings, he suggests that they may reflect some of the patterns and images often visualized by users of particular hallucinogens. The book also leans heavily on the work of twentieth-century ethnographers and the writings of early European observers. Assembling this wide array of textual sources is a practical way to fulfill the book's continental ambitions, but the author's decision to introduce most of this ethnographic and historical evidence through a parade of long block quotes makes for clunky reading. Although some of these passages do capture Native peoples' own perspectives on intoxicants—especially peyote use within the Native American Church—the overall dearth of Indigenous voices is glaring when compared to the surplus of quotations from white observers. Native Intoxicants of North America is at its best when interrogating how and why drugs were used in a comparative, continental context. For example, the discussion of datura, which early Americanists may know as jimsonweed—from "Jamestown weed," the deliriant that incapacitated some of America's first English colonists—is both far-ranging and culturally specific. As a powerful and potentially deadly hallucinogen, datura use seems to have been regulated by social and ritual norms within the many nations that ingested or smoked it throughout the continent. Interestingly, Native groups in both Virginia and California incorporated datura into male initiation ceremonies because, Rasmussen suggests, of its antisocial effects: Datura created such a strong disassociation from oneself and one's people that the period of delirium helped mark a break between childhood and adulthood. Moreover, kiva drawings resembling datura from the Southwest, datura-shaped ceramics from Cahokia, and chemical residue from datura on a Mississippian pipe bowl found in Tennessee all support the...

Genetic Structure and Colonization of North America by Depressaria depressana (Fabricius 1775) (Lepidoptera: Depressariidae) over 15 Years; Contrasts with Westward Expansion of Depressaria radiella (Goeze, 1783) over 160 Years.

Simple SummaryAs invasive insect species can disrupt agriculture, ecosystem functions, and human health, monitoring the spread of newly invasive insects is a high priority. The purple carrot-seed moth Depressaria depressana, a European species first reported in North America in 2008, specializes on reproductive structures of taxa throughout the family Apiaceae and thus presents a potential threat to native North American umbellifers. We assessed interpopulational genetic diversity of D. depressana across its eastern North American invasion front and compared those values to available data for European populations. We also compared this diversity with genetic diversity estimates for populations of Depressaria radiella (parsnip webworm), a European species introduced to North America more than 160 years ago that is essentially restricted to two apiaceous genera throughout its native and invasive ranges. Documenting the historical spread of D. radiella with museum and literature records, we found D. depressana displays greater genetic diversity than D. radiella and is colonizing North America more rapidly; greater genetic diversity may facilitate faster colonization via establishment on a wider range of hostplants. The contrast in colonization by these two species may inform management practices for invasive insects utilizing a broad versus narrow array of hosts within a single plant family.Depressaria depressana, the purple carrot seed moth, is a Eurasian species first reported in North America in 2008 and currently undergoing range expansion. This invasion follows that of its Eurasion congener Depressaria radiella (parsnip webworm), first documented in North America 160 years ago. Unlike D. depressana, which utilizes hostplants across multiple tribes of Apiaceae, Depressaria radiella is a “superspecialist” effectively restricted in its native and non-indigenous ranges to two closely related apiaceous genera. We investigated the genetic structure of D. depressana populations across latitudinal and longitudinal gradients in the eastern United States by constructing COI haplotype networks and then comparing these with haplotype networks constructed from available COI sequence data from contemporary European D. depressana populations and from European and North American D. radiella populations. Haplotype data revealed higher genetic diversity in D. depressana, indicating high dispersal capacity, multiple introductions, and/or a genetically diverse founding population. Museum and literature records of D. radiella date back to 1862 and indicate that range expansion to the West Coast required more than 50 years. Higher levels of genetic diversity observed in D. depressana compared to its congener may indicate a greater propensity for dispersal, colonization and establishment in its non-indigenous range.

Soil microbiota explain differences in herbivore resistance between native and invasive populations of a perennial herb

Abstract Soil microbiota can either slow down or facilitate plant invasions through their effects on plant performance. Associations with soil microbiota can also modify other plant traits such as herbivore resistance, which can indirectly affect the outcome of plant introductions. We studied the effects of soil microbiota on the perennial herbaceous legume Lupinus polyphyllus that hosts nitrogen‐fixing mutualistic bacteria. We compared the plant performance, herbivore resistance and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of plants from native (North American) and invasive (Finnish) populations of the species that were inoculated with intact or autoclaved soil from an invasive population. We found that plants of both origins greatly benefited from the intact soil inoculum with respect to all performance measures considered, suggesting that beneficial nitrogen‐fixing rhizobia in the soil play a major role in shaping plant phenotypes. For three traits, effects of the intact soil inoculum were stronger in plants of native origin than in plants of invasive origin (number of leaves, herbivore resistance and total biomass). With the intact soil inoculum, plants of invasive origin were more resistant to snails than plants of native origin. Strikingly, differences in resistance to snails between plants of different origins disappeared entirely when soil microbes were reduced. Soil inoculum treatment altered the composition of the leaf VOC bouquet similarly regardless of plant origin. Synthesis. These results demonstrate the ability of Lupinus polyphyllus to associate with and benefit from putatively novel soil microbiota including rhizobia, which has likely contributed to its invasion success. Furthermore, it appears that the invasive populations have adapted to be less reliant on their symbionts, which further facilitates species spread. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that differences in herbivore resistance between native and invasive plant populations of the same species can depend entirely on soil microbiota.

Hymenopteran Parasitoids of Leucotaraxis argenticollis (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae) and Leucotaraxis piniperda: Implications for Biological Control of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Hemiptera: Adelgidae).

The hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae (Annand)) is a serious invasive pest of hemlock trees in eastern North America. Multiple biological control agents have been the focus of research aimed at pest management and conserving hemlock communities. Three promising A. tsugae specialist predators are the beetle Laricobius nigrinus (Fender) (Coleoptera: Derodontidae) and flies in the genus Leucotaraxis (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae), Leucotaraxis argenticollis (Zetterstedt), and Leucotaraxis piniperda (Malloch). However, these flies are vulnerable to parasitism by wasps in the genera Pachyneuron (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) and Melanips (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Figitidae). This study explores parasitoid wasp interactions with these Leucotaraxis species in their native western North American range and potential impacts on the biological control program in the East. Leucotaraxis, La. nigrinus, and parasitoid emergences were observed from adelgid-infested foliage collected from Washington State and British Columbia in 2018, 2019, and 2020. Undescribed species of Pachyneuron and Melanips emerged from puparia as solitary parasitoids. Parasitoid emergence was positively correlated with Leucotaraxis emergence. Percent parasitism increased between February and July, with the months of June and July experiencing higher parasitoid emergence than Leucotaraxis. Differences in emergence patterns suggest that Pachyneuron may be more closely associated with Le. argenticollis as a host, and that Melanips may be associated with Le. piniperda. High parasitism in Leucotaraxis had no effect on La. nigrinus larval abundance, whereas the combined emergence of parasitoids and Leucotaraxis was positively correlated with La. nigrinus. This suggests that there is limited competition among these predators.

New Canadian and Provincial Records of Coleoptera Resulting from Annual Canadian Food Inspection Agency Surveillance for Detection of Non-Native, Potentially Invasive Forest Insects.

Simple SummaryEarly detection of adventive and potentially invasive insects that may threaten the health of forests is essential for their successful management in Canada and the world at large. To that end, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) conducts annual surveys at sites with high risk of adventive species introductions (e.g., ports, industrial zones, disposal sites for solid wood packaging material) using semiochemical-baited traps and also by rearing insects from trunk sections collected from stressed trees. We report 31 new Canadian provincial records of beetle species detected in surveys conducted from 2011 to 2021, including 13 new records for Canada and 9 species adventive to North America. Nine of the new Canadian records were native North American species previously detected only south of the border. All but three species belong to the Curculionidae family (“snout beetles”) and most of these were in the subfamily Scolytinae (bark and ambrosia beetles). Rearing of insects from trunk sections of stressed trees accounted for two new species records whereas trapping accounted for the remainder. These surveys not only assist our efforts to manage forest insects by documenting new species introductions and apparent range expansions but also increase our knowledge of biodiversity.The arrival and establishment of adventive, invasive forest insects are a threat to the health, diversity, and productivity of forests in Canada and the world at large, and their early detection is essential for successful eradication and management. For that reason, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) conducts annual surveys at high risk sites such as international ports and freight terminals, industrial zones, and disposal sites for solid wood packaging material using two methods: (1) semiochemical-baited traps deployed in a total of about 63–80 sites per year in British Columbia (BC), Ontario (ON), Quebec (QC), New Brunswick (NB), Nova Scotia (NS), and Newfoundland and Labrador (NL); and (2) rearing of insects from bolts collected from stressed trees and incubated in modified shipping containers in four cities (Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax). We report 31 new Canadian provincial records of Coleoptera from surveys conducted in 2011–2021, including 13 new records for Canada and 9 species adventive to North America (indicated by †). Nine of the new Canadian records were native North American species previously detected only south of the border. All but three species belong to the Curculionidae family and most of these were in the subfamily Scolytinae. The records include: Xenomelanophila miranda (LeConte) (Canada, BC) (Buprestidae: Buprestinae); Neoclytus mucronatus mucronatus (Fabricius) (BC) (Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae); Amphicerus cornutus (Pallas) (Canada, BC) (Bostrichidae: Bostrichinae); Mecinus janthinus (Germar)† (ON) (Curculionidae: Curculioninae); Aulacobaris lepidii (Germar)† (Canada, ON); Buchananius striatus (LeConte) (ON) (Curculionidae: Baridinae); Cylindrocopturus binotatus LeConte (Canada, ON) (Curculionidae: Conoderinae); Himatium errans LeConte (ON); Phloeophagus canadensis Van Dyke (ON); Rhyncolus spretus Casey (Canada, BC); Stenomimus pallidus (Boheman) (Canada, ON); Tomolips quercicola (Boheman) (Canada, ON) (Curculionidae: Cossoninae); Strophosoma melanogrammum (Forster)† (NB) (Curculionidae: Entiminae); Conotrachelus aratus (Germar) (ON) (Curculionidae: Molytinae); Anisandrus maiche Stark† (Canada, ON, QC); Cnesinus strigicollis LeConte (Canada, ON); Cyclorhipidion pelliculosum (Eichhoff)† (Canada, ON, QC); Hylesinus fasciatus LeConte (QC); Hylesinus pruinosus Eichhoff (QC); Hypothenemus interstitialis (Hopkins) (Canada, ON); Lymantor alaskanus Wood (BC); Pityogenes bidentatus (Herbst)† (Canada, ON); Scolytus mali (Bechstein)† (BC); Scolytus schevyrewi Semenov† (QC); Trypodendron scabricollis (LeConte) (Canada, ON); Trypophloeus populi Hopkins (QC); Xylechinus americanus Blackman (NFLB); and Xylosandrus crassiusculus (Motschulsky)† (BC, QC) (Curculionidae: Scolytinae). We also provide additional data confirming the presence of the adventive Hylastes opacus Erichson† in NS. Rearing of insects from bolts accounted for two new records (H. pruinosus, R. spretus) and trapping accounted for the remainder. These surveys not only assist our efforts to manage forest insects by documenting new species introductions and apparent range expansions but also increase our knowledge of biodiversity.

Documenting What’s In Almost Every Narrative: Free Relative Clauses in Kiksht

This paper presents a detailed morphosyntactic investigation of free relative clauses (FRs) in Kiksht, an Indigenous Native North American Language spoken at the Warm Springs Reservation in Oregon. A type of headless relative clause, FRs are embedded clauses that bear formal affinity to wh‑ interrogative clauses yet carry no interrogative meaning and distribute like arguments and adjuncts. Two FR types are attested in Kiksht: maximal FRs, which behave like definite expressions, and existential FRs, which behave like indefinites. A third type of non-interrogative clause is also discussed, which is similar to a free-choice FR but also bears likeness to wh‑ correlatives and wh‑ conditionals. All FR types in Kiksht are formally indistinct, their type and meaning being contextually determined. Kiksht free relatives are also unlike headed relative clauses in the language. Typologically, orienting to Kiksht is relevant because there is little documentation of FRs in Indigenous Native North American languages.

Traditional Medicinal Uses of Mosses

The use of plants by people has a history as old as the existence of humanity. From ancient times to the present, humanity has sought solutions to diseases by making use of plants in nature. Plants that were beneficial against diseases by trial and error in the old times were recognized, used, and passed on to future generations. This process, which has been going on for centuries between plants and humans, continues as an ethnobotanical science that has been accepted worldwide today and where great resources are transferred and important researches are carried out. One of the plant groups used in the treatment of diseases is Bryophytes. Approximately 150 ethnobotanical bryophyte species are known worldwide. One of the important groups in the bryophyte division is mosses, which can live on wet grounds, in humid environments, sometimes completely submerged in water or on soil, rocks, and tree trunks in wide areas from swamps to alpine and arctic regions. Although the general characteristics of mosses vary according to different systematic schools, they are included in the Bryophyta division, which includes 1036 genera and approximately 18.409 species. Chinese and Native Americans discovered centuries ago that moss is effective in healing wounds and reducing infections in wounds. Since this discovery, mosses have been extensively studied and used in various fields. The majority of the species used are generally listed in Traditional Chinese Medicine and by Native North Americans. In this study, the use of mosses in traditional medicine is explained.

Host genomic influence on bacterial composition in the switchgrass rhizosphere.

Host genetic variation can shape the diversity and composition of associated microbiomes, which may reciprocally influence host traits and performance. While the genetic basis of phenotypic diversity of plant populations in nature has been studied, comparatively little research has investigated the genetics of host effects on their associated microbiomes. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a highly outcrossing, perennial, grass species with substantial locally adaptive diversity across its native North American range. Here, we compared 383 switchgrass accessions in a common garden to determine the host genotypic influence on rhizosphere bacterial composition. We hypothesized that the composition and diversity of rhizosphere bacterial assemblages would differentiate due to genotypic differences between hosts (potentially due to root phenotypes and associated life history variation). We observed higher alpha diversity of bacteria associated with upland ecotypes and tetraploids, compared to lowland ecotypes and octoploids, respectively. Alpha diversity correlated negatively with flowering time and plant height, indicating that bacterial composition varies along switchgrass life history axes. Narrow-sense heritability (h2 ) of the relative abundance of 21 core bacterial families was observed. Overall compositional differences among tetraploids, due to genetic variation, supports widespread genotypic influence on the rhizosphere microbiome. Tetraploids were only considered due to complexities associated with the octoploid genomes. Lastly, a genome-wide association study identified 1861 single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with 110 families and genes containing them related to potential regulatory functions. Our findings suggest that switchgrass genomic and life-history variation influences bacterial composition in the rhizosphere, potentially due to host adaptation to local environments.

Characteristics of Selected Silphium Species as Alternative Plants for Cultivation and Industry with Particular Emphasis on Research Conducted in Poland: A Review

This article reviews the available research results of selected species of the genus Silphium L. (Asteraceae) as alternative plants for crops and industry. Silphium species have valuable qualities across a wide range of uses, which is very important in considering plant resources as a green alternative to a sustainable future. Species of the genus Silphium are tall perennials found in fields, prairies, open forests, and groves in the central and eastern parts of the United States and Canada. Various tribes of Native North American used Silphium for medicinal purposes. The cup plant Silphium perfoliatum L. is the most popular species of the genus Silphium due to its attractive ornamental, honey–giving, healing, and forage qualities. As the literature review shows, species of the genus Silphium are characterized by a high production potential in terms of yields and contain significant amounts of nutrients, i.e., carbohydrates, proteins, and L-ascorbic acid, as well as minerals and biologically active substances, e.g., terpenoids and essential oils, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and oleanosides. In addition, the research confirmed the possibility of using Silphium for fodder, as honeybee forage, phytoremediation plants, for reclamation of degraded land, as plants for energy purposes (biomass, biogas), and as plants that provide components with antimicrobial activity. This review largely takes into account many years of research experience conducted in Poland.

U.S. National Wildlife Refuge System likely to see regional and seasonal species turnover in bird assemblages under a 2°C warming scenario

Abstract The National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) provides one of the United States’ greatest protected area networks for wildlife conservation. As climate changes beyond historical ranges of variability, refuge managers are confronted with assessing the utility of refuges, including how to best manage refuges both individually and as a system to help species cope with rapid change. Using published species distribution models, we projected species-specific changes in environmental suitability for 590 native North American bird species under a 2°C future warming scenario (~2050s under RCP8.5) at 525 refuges. For each species, we classified projected changes in suitability (i.e., improving, stable, or worsening suitability) and whether they crossed a model-derived persistence threshold at a refuge (i.e., potential colonization or potential extirpation). Overall, we found that a quarter of species (23% in summer, 26% in winter) could be different (i.e., turnover) across the refuge system despite protections. Summer and winter communities are not equally affected, so managers should consider different strategies for the different seasons. We forecast a slight net species loss in summer, from a mean of 109.0 ± 0.8 to 102.0 ± 0.7 species per refuge. In winter, we forecast a net gain in species, from a mean of 97.1 ± 2.2 to 118.5 ± 1.8 species per refuge. This includes an average of 12 species per refuge that may overwinter rather than migrate south. Refuges at northern latitudes will see relatively more turnover in species, while southern and coastal refuges will see fewer changes. Despite these species changes, dominant habitat association groups (e.g., waterbirds, forest birds) will generally stay the same across most of the NWRS. Some species may be lost from the entire NWRS and can benefit in the near term from targeted management. Regions of high extirpation and colonization (i.e., at northern latitudes) can be prioritized for strategic additions of new refuges.

The Drosophila funebris Species Group in North America (Diptera: Drosophilidae)

Although the global human commensal Drosophila funebris (Fabricius) is well known and is the type species of the genus Drosophila Fallén, the four native North American species of the funebris group have been poorly defined morphologically. D. macrospina limpiensis Patterson and Wheeler is newly recognized as a species distinct from D. macrospina, with diagnostic morphological characters provided. The subspecies D. macrospina ohioensis Stalker is synonymized under D. macrospina. Species native to the Palearctic and to the Nearctic are morphologically distinct, each probably a monophyletic group. Detailed descriptions and redescriptions are provided for both sexes of D. macrospina Stalker and Spencer, D. limpiensis Patterson and Wheeler, D. subfunebris Stalker and Spencer, and D. trispina Wheeler, the latter two being very rare species from southern California. Neotypes are designated for D. macrospina and D. subfunebris. A key to the five Nearctic species of the funebris group is provided.